Bobby Knight Continues to Fight

Sept. 12, 2000 -- True to form, Bobby Knight will not exit quietly.

The fired Indiana University Basketball coach will get his turn to discuss his dismissal in a television interview Tuesday night on ESPN proceding the University’s scheduled press conference at which it is expected that the official announcement of the hiring of assistant Mike Davis as interim basketball coach.

The good news for Knight is that campus police decided not to press charges against Knight. While witnesses agreed that Knight grabbed freshman Kent Harvey, they disagreed on how hard the coach grabbed the student. Knight said that after the student made what he considered a “slightly rude remark,” he tried to be a “stern but caring teacher.”

Triplets Flee Indiana

Meanwhile, Jerry Harvey, father of Kent Harvey and his brothers, Kevin and Kyle, told The Indianapolis Star that the triplets had left the state with their mother and stepfather, Chris and Mark Shaw. He said the trip could include visits to other schools. .

“Their freshman year is now in shreds,” Jerry Harvey said. Jerry Harvey said Kent has received threatening e-mail. Kent’s roommate, Dejavieur Speller, said threatening phone calls have been made. The Harvey brothers and two friends were at Assembly Hall on Thursday to pick up football tickets when they encountered Knight. Kent Harvey said, “Hey, what’s up, Knight?”

Both sides say the basketball coach then grabbed Harvey’s arm to admonish him. Knight, his version of events backed by assistant coach Davis, said he was not as aggressive as Harvey and the other boys said he was.

“He grabbed me by the arm and just started saying stuff, which I got scared ... I wasn’t really listening to him very well because I was just so caught up into how he got a handle on me,” said Harvey, who admitted he did not recall actually hearing Knight curse at him. “I don’t remember but my friend says he heard the F-word a couple of times.”

Knight held a news conference Friday to explain his side of the story.

“This kid looks at me and says ‘Hi, Knight,’” Knight recounted. “And as he’s moving I put my hand on the inside of his elbow and I looked at him and I said “Son, my name isn’t Knight for you, it’s Coach Knight or Mr. Knight.”

The coach said he didn’t curse at Harvey.

Legendary Basketball History

Knight served as Indiana’s coach for 29 years and has endured a long history of temper problems. The university warned him earlier this year that any more outbursts would lead to his dismissal.

After school President Myles Brand announced the dismissal Sunday morning an angry mob turned up in front of his residence and burned Brand in effigy. Several students were arrested for interfering with police.

On Sunday, Brand called Knight’s behavior “uncivil, defiant and unacceptable.” “I’ve been in higher education for 30 years?unquestionably, this is the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Brand said. “Bob Knight is a legendary coach at a school with a legendary basketball reputation.”

Knight won three NCAA titles at Indiana and coached the 1984 men’s Olympic basketball team to a gold medal. But his brilliant career has also been marred by several violent outbursts over three decades—from throwing a chair during a game, to allegedly throwing a vase at a university secretary.

The university finally said enough was enough last spring after accusations emerged that Knight had choked a former player during practice in 1997. The school launched a full investigation, finally reaching the decision to suspend the coach for three games, fine him $30,000 and adopt a “zero-tolerance” stance on future behavior.

Still, Brand said Knight repeatedly showed disregard for the sanctions handed down on May 15 following the investigation.

“I still believe we had to give him one last chance,” Brand said. “He failed to live up to that ... His unacceptable behavior not only continued since then but increased.”

The temperamental coach has already been offered a job by Isiah Thomas, new coach of the Indiana Pacers. Knight is scheduled to tell his side of the story in a live interview on ESPN at 7pm.

ABCNEWS affiliate WRTV in Indianapolis, ABC radio, ABCNEWS’ Jon Belmont and The Associated Press contributed to this report.